Treviño served as mayor pro tem in 1978 and served for three months as acting mayor in 1983. Mayor Steve Adler released a statement following news of his death:

On the Austin City Council, Mayor Treviño created opportunities for small and minority-owned businesses, pressured the city to increase hiring of women and people of color, led efforts to increase access to health care for the poor and needy pushed for a more equitable distribution of social services, and promoted better representation of women and people of color on boards and commissions. If there was a door closed to people of color, John Treviño Jr. opened it.